The Force Is Strong with this One: Bell Grabs E.L. Player of the Week Honors
May 4, 2015 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
Altoona Curve First Baseman Josh Bell
(Altoona Curve, Credit: Mark Olson)
CURVE, Pa. - Altoona Curve first baseman Josh Bell has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of April 27-May 3, the league announced today. It is the second career Player of the Week award for Bell and his first in the Eastern League. It is the second consecutive week a Curve player has been tabbed as the Player of the Week as Max Moroff was the league's selection for April 20-26. For the week, Bell hit .615 with three triples, one home run, 11 RBI and five runs scored.
Bell, 22, kindled the fire during the final game of the series with Erie on April 26 with a 2-for-5 day. The fire then went ablaze the very next night in Akron as the Curve first basemen went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. It was the second game in a streak of five straight multi-hit games for the Irving, Texas native. He finished the Akron series 9-for-16.
Upon returning home, Bell stayed red hot with a 3-for-4 day on Friday night versus Erie as he drove in both of the Curve's runs in a, 2-0, win. On Saturday, Bell drove in all five runs in a, 5-3, win as he capped the night with his first career Double-A home run (a three-run shot in walk-off fashion). On Sunday, he outdid himself yet again with a 3-for-3 day that included two triples and two more RBI. For the Erie series, Bell drove in nine of the team's 14 runs.
Entering play today, Bell is tied for the league lead in hitting at .395 and is riding a seven-game hitting streak (with six of those games being multi-hit). He ranks among the league leaders in hits (32, T-1st), on-base percentage (.452, 2nd), slugging percentage (.568, 4th), triples (4, 1st) and total bases (46, 4th). He also has the lowest TPA/SO ratio in the league at one strikeout per 13.43 plate appearances.
Bell was selected by the Pirates in the second round of the 2011 draft out of the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. Last season he was named the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year as well as the Florida State League Player of the Year.
Bell and the first-place Curve (15-6) continue their homestand tonight at 6 p.m. with the Richmond Flying Squirrels in town. We're welcoming the Bishop Guilfoyle Class-A State Champion Football team to tonight's game as they'll receive their championship rings in a pregame ceremony on the field. Fans who come to the box office tonight and say they are here for the BG Football team can get a $7 grandstand ticket with $3 of the proceeds going to support BG Football.
It's also a Mega Monday in Curve, Pa. presented by the Altoona Mirror with $1 bleacher tickets and a Guaranteed Win Night. If the Curve don't win tonight, fans can bring their ticket back to another Monday game for free (based upon availability). Finally, it's a Meatball Monday with our good friends at Mama Randazzo's with $6 meatball subs available at tonight's game.
Gates open at 5 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.
Images from this story
 Altoona Curve First Baseman Josh Bell (Mark Olson) |
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